He not only produced a tremendous assortment of wines—­Hock, Sauterne, Champagne, Barsack, Burgundy, but descended into endless varieties of sherries and Madeiras.  These he pressed upon people, always insisting that the last sample was the best.

In these hospitable exertions Puffington was ably assisted by Captain Guano, who, being fond of wine, came in for a good quantity; first of all by asking everyone to take wine with him, and then in return every one asking him to do the same with them.  The present absurd non-asking system was not then in vogue.  The great captain, noisy and talkative at all times, began to be boisterous almost before the cloth was drawn.

Puffington was equally promiscuous with his after-dinner wines.  He had all sorts of clarets, and ‘curious old ports.’  The party did not seem to have any objection to spoil their digestions for the next day, and took whatever he produced with great alacrity.  Lengthened were the candle examinations, solemn the sips, and sounding the smacks that preceded the delivery of their Campbell-like judgements.

The conversation, which at first was altogether upon wine, gradually diverged upon sporting, and they presently brewed up a very considerable cry.  Foremost among the noisy ones was Captain Guano.  He seemed inclined to take the shine out of everybody.

’Oh! if they could but find a good fox that would give them a run of ten miles—­say, ten miles—­just ten miles would satisfy him—­say, from Barnesley Wold to Chingforde Wood, or from Carleburg Clump to Wetherden Head.  He was going to ride his famous horse Jack-a-Dandy—­the finest horse that ever was foaled!  No day too long for him—­no pace too great for him—­no fence too stiff for him—­no brook too broad for him.’

Tom Washball, too, talked as if wearing a red coat was not the only purpose for which he hunted; and altogether they seemed to be an amazing, sporting, hard-riding set.

When at length they rose to go to bed, it struck each man as he followed his neighbour upstairs that the one before him walked very crookedly.

CHAPTER XXXVIII

A DAY WITH PUFFINGTON’S HOUNDS

Day dawned cheerfully.  If there was rather more sun than the strict rules of Beckford prescribe, still sunshine is not a thing to quarrel with under any circumstances—­certainly not for a gentleman to quarrel with who wants his place seen to advantage on the occasion of a meet of hounds.  Everything at Hanby House was in apple-pie order.  All the stray leaves that the capricious wintry winds still kept raising from unknown quarters, and whisking about the trim lawns, were hunted and caught, while a heavy roller passed over the Kensington gravel, pressing out the hoof and wheelmarks of the previous day.  The servants were up betimes, preparing the house for those that were in it, and a dejeuner a la fourchette for chance customers, from without.